Hilary Duff

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Hilary Duff

Date Of Birth

Biography

Hilary Duff began acting as a child, when her mother encouraged her, along with sister Haylie, to take acting classes. From local theater productions, she appeared in various television commercials, especially when the family moved to Los Angeles.

Duff got her first big break in the 1998 film Casper Meets Wendy, and got critical acclaim in the 1999 TV movie The Soul Collector, which earned her a Young Artist Award. Her biggest break, however, came in 2001, when she was cast in the title role on the Disney Channel series Lizzie McGuire. The series was a hit and she became a Disney darling, leading to a film adaptation in 2003, as well as another popular TV special, Cadet Kelly.

Also in 2003, Duff launched her music career, releasing her successful second album Metamorphosis. (Her first album, 2002's Santa Claus Lane, was a collection of Christmas songs that received a moderate response.) Buoyed by her popularity as well as one of her songs being picked as the theme Laguna Beach, the album was a hit. Her follow-up, 2004's Hilary Duff, was also a chart hit.

Duff left Lizzie McGuire in 2004, but continued appearing in films such as A Cinderella Story, Raise Your Voice and the two Cheaper by the Dozen films. Reaction, however, was mixed - critics weren't keen, but fans loved it anyway.

Duff's later projects saw her move away from the teen genre where she was often typecast. After releasing her fourth album Dignity, she filmed two independent films, Greta and What Goes Up. She also took a recurring role in the CW series Gossip Girl, and recently penned her first novel, Elixir. She also translated her early success as a teen icon into several business ventures, such as a clothing line aimed at teens, as well as a perfume, in partnership with Elizabeth Arden.

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Quotes

“I'm not scandalous. I think it's actually embarrassing to be in those, yet some people will do anything to be in those magazines. I'm happy with who I am, and I'm happy with the way people portray me. If it's too normal, than that's their opinion.”